Technology and the change brought about by technology, along with the emergence of information and channels that provide easy access to information, has given rise to radical changes in all businesses and ways of doing business.
The fact that information is easily accessible changed the perspective of information in all lines of business. Socialization had its share of this incredible change. Technology introduced socialization and social media into our lives. We started to voluntarily share our personal information, the places we go, the things that we do and the things that would normally be considered private about ourselves on social media.
The fact that social media is so popular among users drew the attention of corporations. Naturally, all companies started to appear on the platforms where users and customers were gathering. The information shared individually caused differences in the posts of corporations and became binding for not only the sharer but also the corporation. It became mandatory to lay down certain restrictions and ethical rules for the posts both in terms of employees and corporate pages. These rules were accepted and implemented in the world of business.
This showed us how important it is for a corporation to act more responsibly towards its employee and client that it addresses. Corporations experienced how these posts shared with momentary anger or without thinking about the consequences caused unfavorable results with regards to the stance of the institution by paying large prices. In our country as well as abroad, corporations now train their employees on the use of social media, set rules and control posts. While there are very sharp precautions in the posts of corporations, there are many gray areas in personal posts. Corporations now train their employees about these gray areas and keep track of them. Because everyone is aware that your followers who know that you work in a specific corporation may associate it with any biased post you share, this may create a bad image.</p>
The posts you share affect not only you but also the corporation you are working for and your colleagues. Sharing both ethical and responsible posts on social media is actually nothing to be afraid of.
These rules and ethics turn into a state to be approached more carefully and sensitively with respect to executive assistants. An executive assistant, who is located in the center of all board decisions and secret, private and personal information that no one can reach, has to act and post accordingly.
Let’s take a look at a couple of simple rules and methods.
First of all, you need to share your post in a responsible manner by taking into consideration the reputation of you and your institution, without forgetting that you are the ambassador or spokesperson of your corporation and that your post will actually be the opinion of your corporation along with yours. Choosing the genre of the post and images in line with this perspective keeps you away from lots of problems.
You might be thinking that social media is your private space and you can share whatever you want. Yes, indeed! This is your private space, but everyone who knows you are working in a specific corporation assumes that this content is the opinion of the corporation and interprets your posts accordingly. If you declare your opinions on social media, this directly concerns both you and your corporation. Be careful when sharing your posts by considering the reputation of you and your corporation.
Because of your job, you know your executive’s personal information and the corporation’s information that may be considered confidential. This gives you the obligation to protect, keep confidential and not disseminate this information. Sharing posts about a situation in your executive’s private life or the new strategic investment that the institution plans to make is one thing, but even implying that may reveal your executive’s private life and enable your competitors who want to learn about your corporation to predict its next step. This situation may harm you, your executive’s and the corporation’s reputation.
Don’t ever share a situation, a development or any information within the corporation. Don’t answer any questions about the corporation that you receive directly without consulting the corporation. Don’t respond to any information about your corporation you encounter on social media and inform the communication unit of the corporation.
If it is so urgent that you need to respond, i.e. if you have come across a crisis, be sure to express that you are an employee of the corporation, that you will report the matter to your executives, that the corporation will provide an answer or solution, and that you will be monitoring the issue, and then proceed to monitor the issue. Avoid giving personal answers, sharing blaming and crisis stirring posts and answers, and also engaging in arguments. Answer the crisis in the medium that you encounter it. Don’t answer a question in channel B, which you encountered in channel A, and don’t allow the crisis to be discussed in other channels. Make sure your answer is clear and short. Remember, you are not just the employee of the corporation you work for; you are also an ambassador.
Avoid giving out information about the corporation, such as where you were, why you gathered, and the content and result of meetings, that may pose a risk for privacy, security and competition. This prevents your competitors from making predictions about you and your corporation.
Don’t answer questions or complaints about your corporation’s products and services on social media, even if it falls into your area of expertise. If it does not involve you, forward it to the addressee. In such situations, answers should be provided through official mail or other channels.
It is important to be careful about the language and statements used in social media. Making, sharing and mediating statements that involve discrimination, harassment, disturbance, racism, sexism, physical assault and humiliation, or posts that are ethnic and religious can cause serious legal problems.
Don’t share posts about your competitors. Don’t start an argument.
Finally, remember that social media gives lots of opportunities while also posing a danger. I kindly remind you to share the knowledge that your social media accounts are visited during the recruitment process, and also when you are employed. I wish you all an enjoyable social media experience!
Tuna Cankurtaran
Chairman of Dişital Agency
